Oven for toasting cereal foods



P. W. FOSTER. I.

5 SHEETS-SHEET I.

J1.; MMM

PabentedJune 13, 1922..

P. W. FOSTER.

0VEN-FOR TOASTING CEREAL FOODS. APPLICATION FILED IULYIQ. 1920.

1.419.131. Patented June 13, 1922..

5 SHEETSSHEET 2.

P. w. POSTER. OVEN FOR TOASTING CEREAL FOODS.

APPLICATION FILED JuLYls. 1920.

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yIantened June 13, 1922o 5 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

PPE f li, m, mw L A P. w. FOSTER. OVEN FOR TOASTING CEREAL FOODS.

APPLICATION FILED IULY|9,I920.

Patented June 13, i922.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 4.'

bocca :naaooaaoonnoaoaoli P. W. FOSTER.

OVEN FOR TOASTING CEREAL FOODS`l APPLICATION FILED IuLYIs, 1920.

1.419,131., Patentedfhme i3, 1922..

5 SHEETS-SHEET 5.

l Mmwm@ PETER W. FOSTER, 0F BATTLE CREEK, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR T0 KELLOGG TOASTED CORN FLARE COMPANY, OF BATTLE CREEK, MICHIGAN, A CORPORATION OF MICH- IGAN.

To aU whom z' may concern:

Be it known that I, PETERl W. FOSTER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Battle Creek, in the county of Calhoun and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Ovens for fIoasting Cereal Foods, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to an oven of larger capacity designed more particularly' for commercial use in browning and toasting the well known cereal food products, known as cornflakes, though capable of application to similar purposes in toasting or parching other products of like character, and comprises, in .this embodiment herein illustrated and described, a brick casing having double or twin toasting chambers, in each of which is revolubly mounted a horizontal toasting cylinder arranged to be rotated -by suitable mechanism, the product to be toasted being introduced continuously into the cylinder at one end and delivered continuously at the other. Ovens of this general type are known in the art and the object of my present invention is the improvement ofsuch apparatus and the provision of an ef- 'icient and reliable oven'adapted to produce continuously and economically a uniformly and perfectly toasted product, and' whichl shall have certain novel features in the construction and arrangements of parts of the 'apparatus whereby the consumption of gas is economized, the accumulation of dust and fine fragments of the product in the oven is avoided, a high degree of perfection of result is attained, and oversight and supervision of the toasting process is facilitated. In the app'ended claims I have pointed out the essential elementsl of my invention and distinguished the same from the prior art so far' as known to me, but without intention of limiting my invention to the precise details of construction herein described, and

illustrated yin vthe drawings forming part of this specification.

,Of the drawings, Figure 1 is a front elevation of my novel toasting oven; Fig. 2 is an elevation ofthe right side of the same; Fig. 3 is a rear elevatlon thereof; Fig. 4 is a vertical cross-section on the broken line 4-4 of Fig. 2; Fig. 5 is a ,front view of the discharge' hopper in assembled form and seated in the front end of the oven chamber; Fig. .6 is a side view'of such hopper, de-

Specieaton of Letters Patent. Patentd June 13, i922.

Application led July 19, 1920.

Serial No. 397,162.

v vaulted top- J, all of brickwork and similar metal frameand end wall members secured to the brick work and including sheet metal doors and` closure members which enclose the two toasting chambers. Since the two ovens are similar, though oppositely arranged with respect to the direction of `their parts from a vertical plane midway between the ovens, it will be understood that parts of the description hereinafter given referring to one oven apply also to the other. At the front end of the oven the brick walls are cut away at the bottom' and the portions above supported by a metal frame work, to provide 4for the installation of a transversely arranged conveyor belt K` onto which the toasted product is delivered. This conveyor belt travels upon bottom and inclined side rollers which impart to it a trough-shaped contour, and is driven by suitable mechanism which it is not necessary to particularly describe. Below the gas burner structure lthrough which the toasting is accomplished and which will later be described in detail, the brick side walls are filled in with sloping walls of cement L, converging toward the bottom and providing a large open-top trough, the bottom of which slopes from a transverse wall at the front end upwardly towards the open rear end.

The upper part of each toasting chamber is closed at the front end by an insulated sheet metal door 50 which is bolted to a curved frame Amember 4 anchored to the brick work and to a compound cross-member 29 connectin the lower opposite ends of the member 4. his sheet metal door' is provided with hinged glazed observation windows or doors 50L opposite the lower side of the rotary toasting cvlinder 52, the front end of which latter is supported by a spider frame 53 having a central shaft 52i supported in a bearing 52", which is carried by a cross-bar 26 anchored tothe brickwcrk at charge hopper structure.

Iopposite sides of the oven chamber. Below ranged to form a part ofthe front wall of the oven structure. Describing its construction more particularly, the pair of upper,

side pieces A .of the hopper are formed with flanges a anchored respectively in the brickv work at opposite sides of the oven, and such side pieces extend inwardly and downwardly towards each other to planes passing adjacent the sides of a gate E later to be more fully described. On their `front sides thel members A are cut back on an inclined line towardsl their bottom, and the bottom portions connected by a riveted cross-member A -which below the plane ofthe lower edge of the parts A is formed with parallel side a gate E, the lower e A being formed 'with a slight offset adapted edges adjacent the glane of the sidesV of the ge of the cross-member to form a seat for such gate... On 'each side i edge of a pair of cross-bars 2 supporting a of the gate E is arranged a hopper section B comprising a front wall b, a side wall b2, adjacent the plane of the side edge of the gate and a bottom wall b3, the vfront edge of which is arranged beneath .the forward strip of corrugated sheet metal 24, later to be mentioned. The rear edge of each of the two sidewall parts b2 inclines from its top forwardly and such parts are connected by a transverse member F, the lower edge of 'which lies to the rear of the'lower edge of the member A and is formed with a similar slight offset adapted toform a seat forfthe rear edge of the gate E; Immediately in rear of the member A and extending from the plane of the upper edgeof such member rearwardly and downwardly is an inclined hopper memberC which extends entirely acrossthe ovenv and at its opposite sidesis formed with triangular opposite Wings C. bent backwardly at right angles to the main body of the plate so as to lie in an inclined per ede Iiange 2 the-oven. The upper portion of `this 'mem-v position adjacent the inclined faces of the bottom side walls L of the ovens.

of each wing is formed with 4a anchored in the brick side walls of ber C is centrally cut away to t against the outer faces of the'side wall parts b2 above the line ofthe axis of the -gate E, and above the top of the parts b2 this central cut s reads on oblique lines to fit against the si e pieces A of the hopper. -The 1 gate E before mentioned is secured toa cross-- rod or shaft e rotatably mounted in bearings v consisting of short piecesof pipe 20, extending through and secured in the-opposite brick j walls of the oven, an operating handle 43v The up-4 adjacent the 'outer wall'beinglprov'ided to tween the opposlte walls b2 of thetwo sections B, andresting against stop flanges X struck up from such walls.

The brick work above the conveyor belt- K is supported by means of L-shapedsupports 1 of channel iron having vertical legs resting upon the substructureof the 'oven and horizontal portions extending back into and anchored in the brick side walls, and cross-bars 2 of angle ironsecured to such horizontal portionsand connected bythe sheet of corrugated iron '24, before mentioned, which latter serve to close the' space on the under sideof the hop er structure back of the bottom wall b8 o the hopper section B.

In the present instance, as sl` own, a start ing switch 83a. for starting the electric 'mowell known ristol recording thermometer for indicating the temperature of the oven,` are mounted at convenient points on stationary parts orthe front of the oven. The

thermometer bulb 16, as shown, is mounted.

inside and at the top of the oven chamber centrally ofthe length thereof.

,The outer side wall of each oven is provided withlarge doors 25 a'ording convenient access to the interior at different oints, and .each door is provided with a amper 59 a short distance above the plane of the burner flames and adjustable to supply the required amount of air necessary for perfect combustion of the gas under various con# ditions.

At the rear end of the oven the upper portion of the toasting chamber is closed by a sheet metal panel or end wall section 49 of insulated double-faced construction and having a vertical'plane portionwhich isv bolted to the curved frame member 3 anchored to 1 opl the brick work and to a cross-bar 6 secured to a. through cross-bar 5 anchored inthe opsite brick side walls H of the oven. `Pro jecting rearwardlyfrom`the plane portion of the wall isa cylindrical extension 49a into which therear end of the rotary cylinder 52 hinged together, the upper portion being cut away to accommodate the feed chute forthe material entering the toasting cylinder, and

rovided with a the lower member being hinged glass observation Ioor148". Below the cylindrical-portion 49 of the wall sec-f tion is arranged a hinged door 49rb affording access to the rear end of the oven chamber;

The rear end of the toasting cylinder, and Various moving and stationary parts at the rear end of. the oven are supported by a frame work which includes three rectangular frame members 30 anchored to the brick work; longitudinally extending cross-bars tion forming a support for a bearing for a flake feeder shaft 7 0, as later explained, and a forward lportion anchored in one of the brick walls of the oven.

The" product to be toasted is conducted through an inclined feed hopper 54 into a feeding device having a rotating four- -bladed feeding'wheel 42 secured to the shaft 70, to ensure a positive measured flow of material through the device 40 to an inclined delivery chute 41 which passes through the opening in the upper part of the cover 48 of the .extension of the rearwall section into 4'the rear end of the toasting drum.

The Vtoasting drum or. cylinder l52 'is constructed of perforated sheet metal and is of lsuch diameter as to nearly fill the space between the side wallsof-the oven, whereby the heated gases are yforced through the cylinder into the heat chamber above, ensurmg a maximum heating effect from a given` amount of fuel. The interior of the cylinder is provided with a series of inwardly di rected fins 52b extending longitudinally thereof, three in the present instance. At

its rear end the cylinder is provided with an annular rib which is supported by and engages the anged edges of two'rollers. 36a

having shafts which are supported by rollerl bearings carriedby the front and rear crossbars 36 before mentioned. It will be noted that the drum'has a slight inclination downwardly Vfrom rear to front, the drop which in practice, has been found to kgive the proper scraper plates 62 and traveling over a pair of idler front pulleys 60a and alpair of rear pulleys 61 secured to a shaft 61 to which is also secured a rope sheave 73 by means of which it is driven. At the rear end of this drag conveyor is arranged a delivery spout 23 which conducts material delivered by the conveyor to a transversely arranged spiral conveyor 77 Yby which it is transferred to a convenient point to be disposed of. The

.pulleys 61a and spout 23 are protected by a shield 38.

The top of each toasting chamber is pro- Videdwith aseries of Ventilating thimbles 15 .communicating through pipes 39 with iues Initteol through a pair of main gaspipes 46a,

one on each side of the oven, communicating through vertical valve-governed branches 46 with transversely arranged horizontal burner manifolds 47 connected to burner pipes47 which are formed with jet holes on their upper side. `Immediately beneath each pipe 47 isr arranged a small burner pipe 47b communicating wlth its respective branch pipe 46, which is used for heating thev gas 1n the manifold 47 above it, thus gaining in efficiency and decreasing the consumption of gas. This arrangementmakes it possible to use gas of Very low heat value, such as ordinary producer gas.

The power for driving the mechanism through which the various conveyors and the toasting drum are actuated may be communicated from any suitable source, as an electric motor governed by the switchv 83 before mentioned, and is connected by a sprocket chain 78 to a sprocket wheel 68 fast upon the front end of the shaft 52a of `the toasting cylinder. Also secured to said shaft is a sprocket wheel 64 connected by a sprocket chain 69 to a sprocket wheel -63 secured to a shaft 58 which extends longitudinally adjacent the top of the outside brick wall from front to rear of the oven and which is mounted in bearings 57 carried by a series lof' bearing brackets 56 anchored in the brick work of the-oven wall. Secured to the rear end of the shaft 58 is a bevel gear 76 meshing with a second bevel gear secured to the cross-shaft 70 to which the feeding wheel 42 is secured, thus rotating the latter. From the cross-shaft 70, through a grooved pulley 72 and round belt connecting such pulley to the sheave 73 on the shaft 61 before mentioned,- the conveyor chain 71 is trough at the bottom of the oven chamber. The manner in which the product to be driven so as to carry the scraper plates 62 n from` front to rear along the bottom of the 'toasted is acted upon will readily be under-i` f stood from the foregoing explanation of the constructionof my new oven. The product is admitted through the hopper 54 into the feeding device 40, whence through the action of the feeding wheel 42 a is pitched through the delivery chute L t1 into the toasting drum.

Owing tothe fact that the' rear end of the drum extends beyond the main heating chamber' into the cylindrical extension of the rear wall, and the fact that a small amount of air enters past the rollers 36a and passes upwardly past the delivery chute 41, the latter is not overheated and the product passing therethrough is not subject tothe liability of sticking or burning from contact with the metal. In its passage through the .rotating drum the product is carried up the side of the drum by the action of the fins 52T and spread thinly over the surface --so rthat it is properly toasted to the desired color, after the required adjustment-of the gas and Ventilating lues land dampers has been attained. The process may be observed through the windows 50a and if the heat of the oven is too great and the product is coming through of too darkV a color, the

i doors may be opened to cool the oven and bring the product being toasted back to the desired shade. y

If through improper adjustment or a change in conditions which has not been observed, the product being delivered is' burned and not suitable for distribution, the gate E of the discharge hopper may be shifted to deliver it into the trough L, whence it is` transferred by means of the constantly traveling chain conveyor to the spiral con-y veyor` at the rear of the machine. During the regular operation of the oven thischain conveyor serves to keep the bottom of the oven free from an accumulation of dust and fine particles of the product which to some extent sift through .the toasting cylinder and4 bottom, bearing rollers extending through are liable to become ignited and cause a fire 1n the oven chamber.

I claim:

l. In an oven rfor toasting cereal foods an'd.

A said heating means and extendingv diametrid cally to pointsl adj acent the 'side walls ofthe oven, said cylinder .being slightly inclined from the horizontal, a delivery chute arranged to deliver material into the upper end of said cylinder, and a discharge hopper arranged to discharge the toasted material from the lower end of said cylinder.

2. In an voven for toasting cereal foods and having walls enclosingfa toasting chamber and heating means inthe lower art of said.

" chamber, the side walls of said chamber converging below said heating means to form a trough, an inclined foraminous sheet metal cylinder mounted to rotatein said chamber above vsaid heating means, and conveyor means at the bottom of said trough arranged to remove waste material.

. cylinder.

and having walls enclosin Vcent the front end of 3. In an ovenl for toasting cereal foods oven and remove waste material therefrom.

4. In an oven for toasting cereal foods and having walls enclosing a horizontally-elongated toasting chamber, a toasting cylinder arranged longitudinally within said chamber, and meansl for heatin said oven comprising a longitudinally dlsposed main gas pipe, and a series of burner pi es communicating with said main4 pipe an arranged in a 'substantially'. horizontal plane below said d oven for toasting cereal Jfoods and having walls enclosing a horizontally- 5. In an elongated toasting chamber, a toasting cylinder arranged longitudinally within said chamber, and means for heating said oven comprising a longitudinally disposed mainl gas pipe, transverse header pipes connected with said main pipe,l burner pipes -connected with said header pipes, anda series of burner pipes arranged one beneath each header pipe and-arranged to heat 'the gas supplied thereby to said 'first mentioned burner pipe. l V- 6. In an oven for toasting cerealfoods -and. having. wallsenclosing a horizontally-elongated toastingchamber, one end wall being formed with a covered cylindrical extension and said extension having' a pair of o enings at opposite sides of the center o 'its said openings, and a sheet metal toasting cylinder arranged longitudinally of saidA Y and a delivery chute extending'through the cover of said extension and arrangedto deliver` material into the enclosed end of said drum. i s

8. In an oven vfor toasting cereal foods a horizontallyelongated :toasting cham er, a rotatingtoasting cylinder arranged longitudinally within said` chamber, means for delivering material into therearend of said cylinder, conveyor means at the bottom of the oven arrangedto transport material from front to rear, and a'shiftable gate Ymember adj asaid cylinderfarranged to alternatively direct the material outside the front end of the .oven or upon said conveyor means.

9. ln an oven of the character described and having oven walls and a driven cylinder slightly inclined downwardly -towards the front from the horizontal and provided with an aXial shaft at itsfront end and a rotating feed device at its rear end and a cleanout sprocket chain extending longitudinally of the bottom of the voven, actuating means consisting of a longitudinal shaft 58 having a level pinion at its rear end, connections intermediate said cylinder shaft and the front end of said shaft 58, a transverse shaft 70 equipped with a bevel pinion meshing with saidrst-mentioned pinion, said rotat- A ing feed device being secured to said transverse shaft, a transverse shaft 61 adjacent the bottom provided with sprocket wheels engaging said sprocket chain, and connections intermediate said shafts 7 0` and 61.

10. ln an oven of the character described, actuating means according to claim 9 in which the shaft 58 is arranged adjacent the top of a side wall of the oven and is connected with the cylinder shaft by a diagonally arranged sprocket chain and the shaft 70 is connected with the shaft 61 by a vertical belt.

rE'rER w. Fos'rEE. 

